Pipeline names Twins' Prospects of the Year

MINNEAPOLIS -- Outfield prospect Alex Kirilloff experienced an incredible breakout season offensively in his return from Tommy John surgery, while right-hander Brusdar Graterol lit up radar guns with his impressive stuff en route to his best year as a professional.
They both were rewarded with championships with Class A Advanced Fort Myers and were honored with Kirilloff and Graterol being named MLB Pipeline's Twins Hitting and Pitching Prospects of the Year respectively.
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Kirilloff also made a big jump on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospects list, as he wasn't among the Top 100 before the year, but moved all the way up to the No. 10 overall prospect on Wednesday, up from his previous ranking of No. 30. He gives Minnesota two prospects among the Top 10 in baseball, joining No. 7 prospect Royce Lewis, who was also his teammate at Fort Myers as the starting shortstop.
Kirilloff, 20, somehow showed no signs of rust after missing the 2017 season because of a torn UCL in his left elbow. He hit a combined .348/.392/.578 with 20 homers, 44 doubles, seven triples and 101 RBIs in 130 games between Class Cedar Rapids and Class A Advanced Fort Myers. He led all Minor Leaguers in doubles and extra-base hits.
The Pittsburgh-area high school product was the No. 15 overall pick in the 2016 Draft, and represented the Twins in the All-Star Futures Game at Nationals Park in July, going 2-for-2 with a run. He was also named the winner of the 2018 Sherry Robertson Award winner as the Twins Minor League Player of the Year. In the postseason, he went 11-for-27 with a homer and two doubles, including his first career five-hit game.

Graterol, the organization's No. 4 prospect and No. 70 overall prospect per MLB Pipeline, posted a combined 2.74 ERA with 107 strikeouts, 28 walks and three homers allowed in 102 innings between Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers. The 20-year-old has the makings of a future ace with a fastball that can reach triple-digits to go along with a curveball, slider and developing changeup.

Signed for just $150,000 out of Venezuela, the 6-foot-1, 180-pounder has a career 2.71 ERA with 169 strikeouts and 42 walks in 153 innings in three professional seasons. He began the year with Cedar Rapids, posting a 2.18 ERA in eight starts before registering a 3.12 ERA in 11 starts with Fort Myers. Graterol pitched in the postseason against Daytona in the Florida State League Championship Series, allowing two runs over five innings in a loss. He struck out six and gave up seven hits.